CHAPTER 5
At breakfast Hal told Annie, "Paris and I are going off somewhere today is that okay?"
"Why are you asking me Hal?"
"He's just been polite," Paris said, guessing what was on Hal's mind. "He's wishing to add to my Montana experiences."
Annie smiled and wished them a great time.
As they drove off in Hal's SUV Paris said, "Annie really did wish us well."
"Well okay she did but she has no idea what we are planning to do."
"I didn't either until you mentioned it. I'm dressed for shopping so Annie will know why we are going without her."
"To buy a ring."
"Yes, what else would we go off to buy without taking her with us?"
"Oh crap. She knows."
"Hal you know she already knows."
"Christ women. Will Bozeman do or even the Falls if you wish? You haven't been up there."
"Well normally I would be please to shop locally but Billings please."
"Billings!"
"Hal you'd ride twenty miles to attend a sick cow. Surely going to Billings to please me is not too onerous."
"Oh yeah, Billings it is."
"I'll pay for the gas and for the ring if all this expense is biting you."
The vehicle ploughed off the gravel access road experiencing two heavy bumps but they returned to the formed road without any apparent harm done.
"When Hal Harrop says he's taking his sweetheart to Billings to buy her an engagement ring that's what Hal Harrop does and no one else pays anything."
"Oh Hal, my hero."
"Gawd shut up Paris. You've had me off the track already."
"Yes darling," Paris said giggling.
They had a great day once Hal relaxed and stopped looking at his watch. Paris looked carefully and returned to the third store they'd visited and selected a ring with small diamonds set flatly into the surface of the platinum. Hal wanted a big diamond that stood out until Paris said, "What if I decide to ride out wearing my ring? I don't want to have to take it off every time I do something?"
"Oh very practical. That ought to save insurance claims."
They returned homewards and stopped off just on dark at a restaurant in Bozeman after Paris had earlier called Alice to say they would be doing that, although she'd not discussed it with Hal. He would have only said no.
"I've had almost the perfect day," Hal said, finishing his third beer and looking at his watch.
"That's lovely Hal and don't fret, I'll have you back on to the ranch without it being beyond midnight."
The party was held two Sunday later. Paris had asked for an advanced weather report and Alice said the weather would be fine but still a little chilly.
Alice asked, "How many will I be catering for?"
"Um twenty guests, I'll ask Lisa to have the twins home. Oh plus the boys."
"Tell Lisa that and she'll know about your engagement."
Turning very bright pink Paris looked Alice directly in the eye and said, "Then I'll make Lisa promise to keep her mouth shut."
"Lady, you have become damn tough since you've been here," Alice said. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
"No."
"Damn tough. You could have earned an Academy Award for such great acting, keeping such a straight face under pressure."
"Perhaps I've learned from you when you tell me stories how wicked the Army soldiers were and how the various tribes of Indians were so gloriously brave when they sat in peaceful protests when they were confronted by sabers and rifles and artillery."
Annie roared with laughter and said, "You clever little bitch seeing through Indian propaganda. I ought to swat you."
"Not if you wish to retain your teeth and have your breasts remain on your chest."
"Oh, as I said, a tough-sounding little bitch," Annie chortled.
They hugged and kissed and Annie whispered, "Congratulations and I mean that deeply. You are so wonderful for him."
Of course everyone invited guessed what this was about. Why else would Hal be inviting people formally, in an invitation signed by Hal but in a women's handwriting to a cookout with no real warmth in the sun yet?
So they all turned up with engagement presents.
The twins arrived excitedly and grabbed Paris's hand asking to see the ring.
"Christ Lisa," Paris frowned.
"I didn't tell a soul, not even David, truly. If you wanted to keep the secret it was a dumb thing to do to have a cookout so early in the season and issuing a formal invitation with pretty spring flowers on the cover and carrying Hal's forged signature. Hal like all men around here wouldn't have a clue what a formal invitation was and even if the did they certainly wouldn't send out pretty cards smelling of a woman's perfume."
"Oh crap, I best sneak over to Hal and tell him I fouled up although he's implicated because he told me to go ahead with the invitations."
"He know darling," Lisa smiled, looking behind Paris who turned and grinned, watching arriving guys slap Hal on the back and pumping his arm and women piling presents on to the table beside the beer table.
The boys trooped over and dutifully congratulated Paris who had two of the three saying 'Shucks' when she kissed them.
A couple of hours later Hal had everyone laughing helplessly when in great seriousness he stuck to his prepared speech that began, "Friends and the boys and to anyone else not thinking those two tags covered them. We are gathered here today for me to make the surprise announcement that the beautiful Paris and I have decided to marry and this occasion is to celebrate our engagement and for you all to witness me placing the ring on Paris's finger."
When he finished Merle Cook the accountant called out, "When's the wedding?"
Hal smiled, "August of course. All our hay will be in by then. It will be in New York and all of you visitors here today will be invited to attend, at your own expense of course."
"New York?" Paris cried. "But we hadn't discussed venue?"
"I asked Alice this morning where will I be married and she said New York."
Paris shrugged helplessly. "Oh, then no problem. That's where it's meant to be. My mom will have wanted it in New York anyway."
When the Withers family was leaving Lisa came up to Paris with Marcie and said, "Marcie would like a few words."
"Marcie," Paris said clutching the 19-year-old. "We are friends. You can ask me anything without having to use your mom as an intermediary."
